She’s natural in front of the camera and loves to throw herself in her role. She doesn’t hesitate to display raw and edgy emotions on screen. Slowly but steadily Romaisa Khan is carving a niche for herself in the industry. Just when we were getting over her convincing portrayal of Mala in Chand Tara, she is all set to leave us stumped as Maria in her cinematic debut ‘John’.
In a candid conversation with Fashion Times Magazine, she reveals her experience of enjoying the filmmaking process, prepping up for her role and striking a balance between creative satisfaction and box office prospects. Excerpts….
Fashion Times Magazine (FTM): What made you choose John as your debut film?
Romaisa Khan (RK): I got to know about John from YoutuberRazaSamo who was already a part of the film. He gave me an inkling about the new director and brilliant script. Later I was approached by the makers to play the lead role. I was asked to audition and I got selected. I feel honored to be a part of this project.
John has a different genre, it’s a film that we usually watch on popular OTT platforms. Pakistan is now gearing up to cater such content to cinemagoers. Being a new face, I was a bit scared and nervous to appear on the big screen. The heartwarming response to the trailer has boosted my confidence and the film is going to be something big.
(FTM): You come from a completely different background than your character Maria. What was it like getting under the skin of someone who are nothing like you?
(RK): I am a happy-go-lucky person in real life, my character Maria is exactly the opposite. She comes from a lower middle-class setup, she’s an introvert and a shy individual. I would like to give full credit to Babar Ali (director) who made us do the workshops to have a better understating of the world. We visited the minorities, connected with them and worked hard to get the Punjabi accent correct.
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I had an idea about the challenges we will face while shooting. So I was kind of prepared, it was tough, and the resources were limited. Initially, I was a bit hesitant about pulling it off. The prep work was super helpful in overcoming the challenges. All in all, it was a great experience. As of now, I have realized that my patience level has increased for the good. I can do anything (smiles)
(FTM): How was the equation of working with your co-star AashirWajahat?
(RK): John was shot before Chand Tara, so I and Aashir were friends already. I feel comfortable working with him. He’s a hardworking and dedicated person so it motivates the other person to work even harder. Most of my scenes are with Aashir, so we had to make sure that our chemistry looks great.
(FTM): Creative satisfaction or box office numbers. What do you prefer?
(RK): As an actor, I would prefer to satisfy my creative cravings, but as a producer, I would want films to make money. In Pakistan, the medium of Television is preferred over cinema. That is the reason why producers avoid taking risks and are scared of investing. John is one of those films that should set a benchmark that films made for creative satisfaction can also rake in moolah at the box office.
Go on…
This is my debut film so naturally I was nervous about how people will accept or react to my performance. I have given my hundred percent, instead of focusing on the views and box office numbers, I focus on making my character perfect and enjoy the process of filmmaking.
(FTM): Lastly, give us three reasons why the audience should head towards cinemas to watch John.
(RK): Firstly, the audience today is willing to watch new content and fresh faces, so John is the perfect entertainer for them. Secondly, it has a raw and real feel to it. Lastly, the film is a blend of an amazing story and good acting with a different feel. The audience should watch John and support cinema in Pakistan. I am sure they will like all our hard work and efforts.
Watch the trailer of John here:
